Wilhelmj, Emil Daniel Ferdinand Viktor August

violinist

Born: 21.09.1845 in Usingen

died: 22.01.1908 in London

The son of August Wilhelm Wilhelmj moved with his parents from Usingen to Wiesbaden in 1850. His first teacher was the concertmaster Konrad Fischer from the Wiesbaden court theater, where the 10-year-old Wilhelmj gave his first concert as a violinist. In 1861, he traveled to Weimar to see Franz Liszt, who introduced him to Ferdinand David (1810-73), the concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, as a pupil. Wilhelmj visited Richard Wagner with David in Biebrich in 1862. Wilhelmj returned to Wiesbaden in 1864 and studied composition with Joachim Raff.

In 1865-75 he toured Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia as well as London. In 1875 he bought a villa in Biebricher Allee. He was concertmaster at the first Bayreuth Festival in 1876. The premiere of the "Ring" tetralogy was a highlight of his career.

His close contact with Wagner led to Wilhelmj arranging a Wagner Festival in his favorite city of London in 1877. There were orchestral concerts there with Wagner as conductor, but they were not an artistic or financial success. Wilhelm collapsed physically and mentally; he then recovered in Wiesbaden. In 1878-82 he undertook a concert tour to America, Australia and East Asia. On February 18, 1883, Wilhelmj and other close friends carried the bier at Wagner's funeral in Bayreuth.

In 1884, he had his villa converted into a "college for violin"; however, this attempt to found a conservatory failed. In 1893, he moved to London, where he became a professor at the Guildhall Music School. He returned to Wiesbaden in 1903 to play at his niece's wedding.

Wilhelmj was often called the "German Paganini" or "violin king". Compared to Joseph Joachim, he was considered a stronger virtuoso. His playing was very much focused on the external effect, especially with large orchestras and in modern concert halls. After his death, he was transferred from London to Wiesbaden and buried in the Wilhelmj family grave in the North Cemetery.